7 WAYS … TO AVOID BUYING NEW STUFF
February 8, 2010 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
Buying something new requires the extraction and destruction of a lot of resources, not to mention the destruction of our environment in extracting, hauling, manufacturing, packaging and shipping the item.
So if we want to avoid buying new things, what should we do if we need something? After all, there are always times when we feel we need something — not just want or desire, but need it for a real purpose. We might need new clothes, or books, or a bike so we can cut back on using a car.
A Year of Living Lightly
January 26, 2010 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
One man’s decision to eliminate his family’s impact on the environment in downtown Manhattan, has influenced many more than just his neighbors. Colin Beaven’s inner yearning to make a big difference to the health of the planet, has catapulted him into the eco spotlight with his film, No Impact Man. Here, The Green Dove shares an exclusive interview with the urban green warrior. We’re also giving readers the chance to win one of five No Impact Man DVDs.
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Test Eco Waters at Go Green
January 10, 2010 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
Living green can be overwhelming. Where to start? From eco cars and planet-friendly cleaning products to organic wines and veganism, it’s little wonder many opt to do nothing for fear of not being able to do it all.
Yet it’s the little steps that add up to mean something big.
Finding Green Car Detailers
January 10, 2010 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
I recently got my car detailed at a local place and then gasped at the chemical fumes when I got inside. Are there green detailers out there, or products that I could use myself to keep my vehicle clean and my family out of harm’s way? – David Berkowitz, Newton, MA
Traditionally, auto detailing has employed a range of not-so-green-friendly products such as ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nonphenolethoxolates (NPEs), abrasive detergents, and chemical-based leather, vinyl, fabric and carpet treatments. Inside the car, they can off-gas harsh airborne pollutants; when washed down storm drains they can wreak havoc on public water supplies.
Unfortunately, while environmental awareness is beginning to crop up among auto detailing services (online discussion boards are full of posts from professional detailers sharing their tips for greener, more effective products and formulations), finding a green detailing service isn’t very easy just yet, so doing it yourself might be the only way to ensure that the environment and your health are spared chemical insult. There are green detailing products and kits out there, easily found through an Internet search.
Two leading suppliers are Laura Klein’s Green Cleaning, and Mean Green. These companies, among others, specialize in degreasers, dashboard dressings, tire cleaners, spot removers and other products made with natural, biodegradable water- and plant-based substances (including coconut, palm, citrus, corn and soy), combined and concentrated to be as effective as or better than their chemical-laden counterparts.
Another way to be green and clean at the same time is to choose wash and wax products that don’t contain harsh chemical surfactants—and as such don’t require water-wasting, polluting rinses. No-Wet Waterless Concepts and Optimum Polymer Technologies are two leading manufacturers for such goods.
Do-it-yourselfers should be careful not to dump wastewater into nearby storm drains not intended to carry toxic run-off. Most reputable car wash businesses go to great lengths to make sure the water, soaps, oils and other dirt from your car doesn’t end up polluting groundwater, rivers and streams, and so should you. If you clean your car in your own driveway or garage, try to collect any run-off and dispose of it into a drain or toilet that will send it through the sewage treatment system, not into the curbside storm run-off drain that may well lead directly to a local water body or shoreline.
While finding a green detailer may not be easy, you can start by asking those operators in your region if they currently use environmentally-friendly products and/or processes. If not, ask them if they would be amenable to greening up their operations for the sake of attracting customers like you.
Some detailers that have already taken the green plunge include: Ecodetail Services of Sacramento, CA; Car Wash Concepts of Aliso Viejo, CA; Gia’s Detailing of Long Island, NY; Scott’s Mobile Auto Detailing of Tarrant County, TX; and Elite Detailing Service Inc. of Plainfield, IL. These providers share an interest in environmental protection, use minimal amounts of water and other resources, and dispose of run-off according to the stringent standards set forth under the federal Clean Water and Clean Air acts.
CONTACTS: Laura Klein’s, www.laurakleinsgreencleaning.com; Mean Green, www.meangreen.com; No-Wet Waterless, www.nowet.com; Optimum Polymer Technologies, www.optimumcarcare.com.
SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com.
Children worldwide are being united through a project that aims to bring awareness to climate change. The Climate Quilt Campaign encourages students to design pledge patches from recycled material, each featuring their promises to preserve the planet’s future. Kids worldwide can have their pledge patch included on the quilt, which was this week shown on Good Morning America (pictured). See www.climatequilt.org.
January 3, 2010 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
The Climate Quilt Campaign (www.climatequilt.org), an International initiative created to encourage youth worldwide to get involved with protecting the environment was recently on display at the UN Climate Conference and is now headed back to the US for Earth Day (April 22).
Designing with Nature in Mind
Several decades ago, a few creative thinkers started redefining the traditional idea of home. From coast to coast, people started looking at their environment and began building with eco-inspired homes.
The Future of Plastics
December 15, 2009 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
More than 40 years after the well-known one-liner, “Just One Word: Plastics” from Mike Nichols’ classic movie The Graduate, the presence of plastics in society has evolved from a manufacturing wonder material to a hazardous consumer concern.
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An Orchard Garden in the City
December 9, 2009 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco, be sure to check out (or into) the Orchard Garden Hotel, one of California’s greenest.
The offical poster from last week’s Paris Ethical Fashion Show. Designers such as Lanvin, Givenchy and Chanel contributed to the eco fashion fiesta, which was a resounding success.
November 15, 2009 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
From One Idea, Big Things Sprout
November 13, 2009 by The Dove · Leave a Comment
A new generation of eco-commerce is arising out of the dust of Amazon.com’s explosive growth – online shoppers, particularly parents, are more concerned than ever about product certification, safety and customer feedback. Enter Sproubaby.com, the brainchild of eco-preneur Jody Sherman. To cater to this more discerning market, his online baby products shop features only items vetted through expert, family and personal reviews.
